To Build a Fire
by boredandlazy01
Summary: Arnold's parents are still in the grasp of La Sombra, but the kids are hopeful of getting them back. Somehow. They've had a few close calls, and Arnold has something he wants to discuss with Helga...


AN: Just a oneshot about The Jungle Movie. Might do a few of these types of jungle stories over the next few months, since there'll be no need to anymore after November (eep!).

* * *

"Hey."

She jumped, dropping one of the stones she was using in a futile attempt to try to start a fire. It looked so frigging easy on TV. "What?" she asked, picking up the stone and resuming her efforts.

"…Want a hand?"

She sighed in frustration and threw the rocks down, wiping her sweaty brow. God, she was a mess. "Be my guest."

Arnold walked over and bent down beside her in the dirt, glancing the stones off each other as she had done. He was also covered in sweat and dirt, his t-shirt and shorts ripped in several places. He had smelled better. But Helga didn't care.

"So, uhm…" he said awkwardly after a few moments, his eyes fixed on his task. "I wanted to talk to you."

Helga's eyebrows rose. "Yeah?" _This should be good._ Really though, she was nervous.

"Yeah." He seemed to struggle with himself, and put the stones down, looking her in the eye instead. "Why did you…?" He gulped and tried again. "You offered yourself instead of me. You were willing to die for me. All the things you said… You really think my life is worth so much more than yours?" His gaze seared her.

Oh God, he was doing this. Of course he was. She supposed it had been too much to hope that he would write it off as another 'heat of the moment' episode of insanity. She had no idea what to say. Her mouth was dry…and open, she realised.

He sighed, looking away for a moment. "Helga… It means a lot to me. That you care so much about me. But it hurts me to think that…you think no one would miss you. Is that true? Do you really think that?" His eyes were scrunched in pain now, as they implored her to answer.

 _Oh._ So he just wanted to make sure she didn't really think that badly about herself. Typical Arnold. Now, to lie, or be truthful?

Screw it, what was there to lose at this point. She was exhausted from everything. "Well…yeah, Arnold. I mean, my family can't remember my name most of the time. Most of our classmates wouldn't shed too many tears; I do make life kinda hard for them. Even if they deserve it most of the time," she added in a mumble.

"Phoebe would miss me," she continued, her voice softening. "But, we both know she could have a much kinder best friend than me. She'd… She'd get over it."

Arnold took all this in, nodding almost angrily to show he was listening. "Well I don't agree with all that. Your family loves you better than they can show, and Phoebe has you as her best friend for a reason. Because you're you. You're unique. And that's why our class would miss you, too."

His green eyes fixed her, looking up from under his brows. "But even if I did agree, there's one person you left out. Me."

Helga raised her eyebrows questioningly. "You?"

"Yes me, dammit, Helga!" Arnold yelled suddenly, standing up.

They both blinked at his outburst, before he collected himself. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to pace. "You… You mean a lot to me. I can't believe you didn't think I would… That I would let you take my place. This is my trip. They're my parents. It should be my life on the line. You shouldn't have even followed me!"

Helga was warmed at hearing she meant a lot to him, but stung that, after everything, he still wished she wasn't with him. "Oh don't get all mushy, Arnoldo," she spat. "I knew you wouldn't have a hope of finding them with just Hair Boy for company. You two would probably have fallen into a hole if _I_ hadn't come along. And I may not be Mary-Sue Sawyer, but even I want to see two frickin _heroes_ get rescued. And as for that thing with the smugglers, I'm just more expendable than you. Your grandparents only have you, _and_ you're the city's frickin patron saint-"

"Oh, _cut the crap, Helga_!" Arnold said, loudly, coming to a stop in his pacing. "I know why you came! I know why you asked them to take you instead! I know that you love me," he finished more quietly, his eyes locked with hers.

Helga was stunned. "…I don't know what you're-" she began automatically.

"Yes, you do," Arnold interrupted, coming back to kneel next to her beside the pathetic pile of kindling they had gathered. "I never…" He looked away and sighed. "I never really believed that what you said was in the heat of the moment. Come on, I'm not _that_ dumb." Amusement danced in his green eyes, and Helga's heart soared to see it. It meant that at least he wasn't disgusted. "I just… It was a lot. A _lot_. And really surprising. I mean I'd sort of…" He shrugged. "I'd sort of considered it once or twice before, but it never seemed like your feelings were serious. I mean you hid them _super_ well," he chuckled. " I think subconsciously… But I just needed time to process. You know?"

It seemed he actually wanted her to speak. "…I don't know what to say," she said honestly. She was proud of herself that she hadn't fled into the jungle yet.

He gave a small smile. "That's okay. So…yeah I needed time. And I've had time. And even though I think you've been even meaner to me than normal this year, I think we've gotten closer anyway, somehow. And…older. And… Agh!" he groaned in frustration, clutching at his hair. "I'm rambling."

"Arnold," she said tremulously; she felt close to passing out. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say…!" His eyes were fixed so intensely on hers, two wells of green that would drown her. Suddenly, he moved forwards.

His lips met hers, softly. _What is…? Oh my god!_ He was kissing her. _He_ was kissing _her_! It was too good to be true. She must have died back with those smugglers after all.

Oh god, this felt so much better than the times she had kissed him. Their lips moved against each other. His hand reached out and gripped at her upper arm; she let out a light fluttery sound that she was too far gone to be embarrassed by…

"Hey, how's it…? _What_ the _what_!"

They jolted apart to see Gerald at the entrance to the small clearing with firewood in his arms, gaping at them.

"Oh, uh…" said Arnold, scratching his neck awkwardly. He had gone tomato red.

Helga barely resisted the urge to tell Hair Boy to just get lost, knowing that Arnold wouldn't take kindly to that.

Gerald blinked multiple times and shook his head, as if to clear it. "…Look man, I know what she's done for you has been amazing and all, but is _this_ not maybe over-reacting? I mean, you guys have to go to school together when we get home. And Arnold man, no offence, but she normally treats you like dirt."

Helga growled and bawled up her fist. If he ruined this for her…

Arnold watched her with alarm before quickly responding to his friend. "I know, Gerald. I know all that. This is just…something between us. It's hard to explain. But I like Helga and she likes me, so…" He shrugged.

Helga could feel herself blush, and turned her face away.

Gerald sighed, and didn't respond for a moment. "…Well, I can't say I'm surprised. Didn't think you'd go right to the kissing, but okay. I just hope you don't regret it. Both of you." He deposited the small pile of firewood on the ground, and left shaking his head, in wonder or disapproval. "You're a bold kid, Arnold. A _very_ bold kid."

Arnold chuckled awkwardly after he'd left. "Sorry about that."

Helga shrugged, her finger trailing a pattern in the dirt. She felt like the moments before Gerald's interruption had been too good to be true. "I mean, I suppose he's not wrong…about… I mean, I am normally pretty mean to you. And I understand if you want to forget about all this when we're back at school…"

His eyes were wide. "…Not unless you do."

Helga suddenly imagined all the teasing, all the things she'd been afraid of for years. Everyone knowing about her softer side. _Oh for Pete's sake, this is_ Arnold _! Arnold likes you! What kind of a chicken are you? You_ cannot _screw this up cos of the chuckleheads at school._

She managed to grin at him. "Not on your life."

Arnold smiled back, more sheepishly. "Good."

Helga's grin widened as she moved closer to him, unable to stop herself. "Now where were we?"

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AN: Well there you are. I quite enjoyed writing it. Probably not exactly how it will go down, but that's how it came out. Let me know if you'd like to see more jungle stories!


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